POSSIBLE POV: The 3% Conference Goes Beyond Gender

A POSSIBLE Publication

SPECIAL EDITION

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Lead Your Way We need a more diverse definition of leadership.

Nelson Freitas

EDITOR IN CHIEF Rebecca Bedrossian POSSIBLE Portland

DESIGN & ART DIRECTION Paz Ulloa

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CONTENT MANAGER Laura Wolf POSSIBLE Seattle

7 9 11

The Long Haul

Jen Henderson

I recently read a quote by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella : “Continuous process of

Originally published in Adweek.

renewal is what makes human progress possible.” This reflects our agency culture. We’re

Stuck in the Middle with Me On acknowledging my privilege.

As with this year’s 3% Conference theme “Beyond Gender”—it’s more than race/

Carla Sparks

ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability-level. It’s all of this together, and then some.

Because simply hiring someone isn’t enough anymore. We’ve got to work and make sure

Beyond Duh Enough talk, it’s time to do something about diversity.

Jon Dietrich

The Future of Business Depends on These Four Traits The importance of embracing the so-called soft skills.

Liz Valentine

everyone is onboarded into the organization, engaged with the teams, gets invited to speak, and feels included. This is the only way to create a community of belonging where everyone brings their best selves to work. In return, we deliver the best work for clients.

This takes time, effort, and dedication from senior management through the entire organization. We’ve been talking the talk. The awareness is here. We value the ideas and skills everyone brings to the table, and it’s time to put a plan into action and walk the walk. It won’t always go smoothly, there will be bumps in the road—yet there is progress.

And we’re in it for the long haul.

Originally published in Forbes.

PRODUCER Arce Caban POSSIBLE Portland

My gender transition helped pave the way for future agencies.

continuously striving toward diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

POSSIBLE Costa Rica Tony Aguero POSSIBLE Portland

Freedom Is Best

On the following pages, you’ll find articles on women in leadership, transitioning on

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Why Workplace Diversity Mat ters

the job, femininity and the future of business, AI and diversity, a manbassador’s aha

On coming back to the Midwest and finding community.

moment, and more. These pieces reflect our thinking, our culture, and how we work together. This is our collective voice.

Christopher Reint z Originally published in The Cincinnati Business Courier.

PRINTER B&B bbprintsource.com

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Is AI the Solution to Adland’s Diversity Problem?

It has the potential to disrupt recruiting as we know it.

POSSIBLE is a creative agency whose

Martha Hiefield

mission is moving brands by moving

Originally published in MediaPost.

people. More than ever, brands rise or fall on the sum total of the experiences they create for customers, not just the success

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Jaime Klein Daley Originally published in The Huffington Post.

the globe, POSSIBLE brings results-driven

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marketing solutions to the world’s most

Let’s work together: possible.com/careers.

Martha Hiefield CEO, Americas POSSIBLE Seattle

Shut Up and Hire Her

A client called me out, thankfully.

Joe Crump

dynamic brands, including Microsoft ,

Procter & Gamble , AT&T , Shell , and The Coca-Cola Company.

and with each other.

Q&A with Kelsey Pytlik of Gild Collective.

that move are making customers’ lives With more than 1,500 employees around

improving the lives of individuals through stronger relationships with customers, brands,

The UX of Implicit Gender Bias

or failure of a given ad campaign. Brands easier, more entertaining, and rewarding.

As I’ve said before, the future is only as good as who we are. Our work must be about

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How I Learned Gay Empathy Breaking down walls begins with understanding.

Matt Winkler

23 pov@possible.com possible.com

I Work with Game of Thrones Warrior Queens

Four things agencies can learn from the women of Westeros.

Rick Albano

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Lead Your Way Nelson Freitas Chief Strategy Officer for North America

Wunderman

How do we produce a diverse class of leaders? My job has long been to observe brands and culture, and make recommendations to companies on how they can succeed. People like me typically advise brands to know who they are, play to their strengths, be authentic, and have their own voice.

We can offer the same lessons to young leaders today. Just as brands discover and live their true identities, leaders can too. We can urge them not to fit a mold, but to create their own mold and figure out who they are and what works for them. We can encourage them to know their own strengths and develop their own unique and special leadership style. How can we all do this?

Live your truth. It starts by being yourself. The world isn’t as closed to alternative viewpoints as it once was. Leadership is not about conforming to a specific image anymore. Instead, make leadership work for you and what’s great about you. Get in touch with your strengths and weaknesses and develop them, while using mentors to inspire you.

Keep building your craft. You’re going to be most comfortable and influential being yourself when you know how to do your job well. This doesn’t, of course, mean you have to For all we hear about progress towards equality for women in the workplace, two simple facts prove just how tough and slow that progress really is: Women get more college degrees than men, but, if current trends continue, it will take them until 2085 to reach parity with men in leadership roles in business. Really.

So what can we do about it? While there is no one answer, it’s clear that to get diverse leadership, we very likely need a more diverse definition of leadership. For years, the corporate world was based on a top-down, command-and-control style best suited for industrial and manufacturing-based companies. That resulted in a climate where businesses favored just one kind of leader: the strong and decisive decision-maker.

These kinds of leaders are, of course, valuable. But they have become a one-size-fits-all mold—a default archetype. In a world where creativity, agility, and diversity are paramount to success, we can’t limit the variety of talent and the strengths of the people we have in leadership roles. Every company has many people in leadership roles, and they should not

be perfect. There are no perfect leaders. You should set your own, ambitious standard of exceptionalism and then use every opportunity to develop and progress towards it.

Walk in someone else’s shoes. Empathy is a massively underleveraged quality in business today. Whether you’re working with teams, clients, or partners, it makes you relatable, human, and someone we can embrace and be inspired by. If you can’t understand or relate to what people around you are doing, you can’t really lead them. It’s also really the only way you can develop talent. And with Millennials and GenZers expecting relatability and authenticity, empathy has become a must-have for leaders everywhere.

The final point, of course, is that we can’t do this on our own. Many companies with great intentions still struggle to be open to a diverse and multifaceted approach to leadership.

To get there, they need to be more welcoming not just to different kinds of people—but to different kinds of leadership styles as well.

be all the same.

The truth is that leaders can be any type of person. They can be strong but also be graceful. They can be assertive yet also be thoughtful. They can talk about achievements and about mistakes. They can be open about that feeling of being an imposter we all have as we take on new roles. And they can also be traditional, top-down decision-makers too.

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Today, we still need the leaders of years past. But we also need leaders who aren’ t afraid to empathize, admit mistakes, and nur ture a more thought ful and creative culture.

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Freedom Is Best

Editor’s note: This article was written by Jen Henderson when she was Director of Technology at POSSIBLE Cincinnati.

It’s time. It’s hard to believe, but here I

Why did I choose? There are too many

As it happens, giving people freedom to be

am. My boss, the managing director of

reasons to list here. But one crucial

who they are isn’t just the right thing to do,

POSSIBLE Cincinnati , introduces me to a

component was that, being ready in other

it’s good business.

conference room full of my peers. I begin

aspects of my life, I knew that POSSIBLE’s

the presentation.

parent company WPP held inclusive

When people hide behind masks, they

policies towards minorities, including

can’t get air. If they can remove that mask

My home life is unique, I say. Click. Slide

LGBT people. I sought a job at POSSIBLE

safely, without discrimination, the energy

1 is a photo of my kids. As I talk about

partly because of that.

they spent keeping secrets goes elsewhere, namely into their career. Employers should

them, it’s clear how proud I am. The typical beaming dad. I go on. We celebrate an

I came out to my bosses soon after joining

not be surprised if they see an uptick in

unusual holiday at my house—a holiday the

the company. It was nerve wracking, to say

productivity.

kids made up. Click. A calendar appears,

the least. When their immediate reaction

with March 24 marked as “Maddy’s Day.”

was to offer their full and sincerest

Company culture, too, is likely to benefit.

support, my gratitude ran as deep as my

The office may feel lighter. Healthier. People

My kids invented the word “Maddy,” I

relief. At the time, I was dressing as male

may breathe easier, knowing they’re in a

explain. It’s a blend of Mom and Daddy,

in the office, then changing at home.

place that honors everyone there. That was

because we don’t celebrate Father’s

But because I had started a medically

certainly our experience.

or Mother’s Day. Click. The next slide,

supervised transition, I was beginning

another photograph, shows me with my

to look more feminine. How would we

Back in the conference room, my peers stare

children. It’s not the version of me most

proceed when it was time to come to work

at the screen.

people in the room know.

as my true self?

The transgender population is small, from

Transition is an extremely unusual event

my kitchen, surrounded by my kids. With my

0.2 percent to 0.3 percent, therefore most

for most people in an office. HR and I

hair in a long bob, I’m dressed as the woman

people have never knowingly met a trans

realized there was no policy for helping

I have long known myself to be.

person. The unknown breeds fear. Fear

managers navigate legal and social issues

breeds hate. In 2015, there were more

associate with such an event. So, with help

The room erupts in applause. People hug

killings of trans people than in any other

from HR, I wrote one.

me. They congratulate me. The next day, I

The photo—that “big reveal”—shows me in

show up to work as Jen. And an amazing

year on record, and trans people are four general population. When employed, 90

different. As a leader, I was public about

percent report harassment, mistreatment,

my transition. Others won’t want to be.

It’s just another day at work. I’m the same

or discrimination.

Management should ask: How involved, or

person the agency hired. Only now I have

not, would you like to be? Would you like

the freedom to bring my entire self to work,

Fear can also advance legislative agendas.

to tell your peers, or would you prefer that

without fear that someone will discover my

North Carolina ’s “bathroom bill” now

management do so?

big secret.

public restrooms. It and similar bills in

We wrote with a focus on bringing dignity

People take to calling me “Jen” quickly.

other states also strike existing LGBT

to the process, respecting the needs of

As per our policy, I use the bathroom with

nondiscrimination statutes.

both the transitioning person and those

which I identify. And it is 100 percent a

around that person. Which means everyone

non-issue.

bans trans people from using certain state

5

thing happens—nothing.

times more likely to live in poverty than the

We recognized that every transition is

Given this atmosphere, the decision to

has the right to ask questions without fear

transition comes with risks: potential loss

of reprisal. The resulting document reflects

of employment, friends, family, safety and

our values as a company that cherishes

dignity. But the truth is you don’t choose

diversity and the inherit value of every

Jen Henderson

to be transgender. You choose to do

employee.

Capital One

something about it.

Freedom really is the best policy.

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Stuck in the Middle with Me Carla Sparks Writer POSSIBLE Seattle

Shortly after the 2016 election, I fell into a well of self-pity. A woman I respected and admired fell just short of a seemingly impossible dream. Being close enough to touch it, to grab that ring for women everywhere, made the pain of failure worse, more specific. It was a precise but familiar ache.

As the product of a public school education, I grew up believing that if you work hard enough, you will get the success you deserve. The hardest workers are owed the most success, however that is measured by the individual. I did not learn about microaggressions, or economic disparity, or inherent biases, or any of the numerous other factors that get in the way of that imperfect equation working out. So, you can imagine my surprise when I was not elected Senior Class President, after working so hard. I was shocked, but I shouldn’t have been.

I lost to a popular male student who ran track, made the teachers laugh, and never had to try very hard. I tried way too hard for everything, and was the type to instill panic in my classmates when I raised my hand in class, for fear that I would ask for extra homework. To be honest, I was also kind of a narc. After his victory was announced, the Senior Class President elect consoled me by saying I could take on the responsibility of planning the 10-year reunion. I pressed on, firm in my belief that all those hard work tokens would earn me something even greater later on. Maybe life was fair, and I would get what I felt I deserved, it just wasn’t then. Neither of us planned the reunion.

Cut to January 2017. The scene: a white woman (me!) still self-indulgently stewing in her own juices. Somehow, I’d still failed to achieve the grail of Being Happy or Feeling Satisfied all the time as I felt I deserved, and now I had the convenient excuse of some macro discontent to tap into. The election, mixed with a particularly dark and uninspiring winter, gave me lots to complain about. And I kept complaining on into the spring and summer. I got really good at feeling sorry for myself. I only snapped out of it when my mentor told me, “Don’t be dumb. Defeat is for pussies. Help another woman achieve something.” I love her.

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But what could I do? I wondered. I was so wrapped up in trying to get myself ahead, to an intangible level of “success” always just out of reach. I hadn’t bothered to fully acknowledge what I’d already gained or how I could bring someone with me.

Any success or achievement I’ve enjoyed has been partly because of hard work, but is mostly due to people reaching down to lift me up, advocating for me in key moments, and giving me a platform. It’s hard to know where you stand when you head is so far up your own ass.

The first step in the head-in-ass removal procedure was to know my context.

Another popular term for this is acknowledging your privilege. Some privileges I was born with (white, cisgender, hetero, able-bodied, parents who are still together and would post bail for me, not allergic to dogs, the list goes on and on).

Some privileges I have gained over time (being taken seriously in my career, being thought of to contribute to this publication, co-workers who know me well enough to laugh at my jokes, the ability to do winged eyeliner right the first time, etc.). A quick inventory revealed that while I am not In Charge of the World (as I had once assumed would someday be possible for one lucky, hard-working person), I have access I can leverage to help others.

Once I acknowledge which rooms I have access to, and where my voice will be heard, I can figure out how to use that to amplify the voice of others. There is not a limited amount of success in this world, for which we all must compete. But for some of us it’s easier to find and climb the ladder. Knowing that, and that there will always be someone who’s doing better than you, and someone worse off than you, I encourage you to take stock.

Allow yourself to wonder who had to work t wice as hard to get half as far. Then reach down to lif t up. It ’s what I’m tr ying to do, because only thinking about myself is get ting dull.

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Beyond Duh As a middle-aged white guy in 2017, I by definition regularly find myself with the “What do I do” face. The one we tend to make when we’re smart enough to understand there’s an important conversation happening but not prepared to add anything, so we’re waiting for the conversation to end.

It’s the face I catch myself making too often when the subject is sexism in advertising.

It’s a daunting, complicated conversation. Even if you’re paying attention, you will struggle to find new points to make. But here’s the freeing thing: We, middle-aged white guys, don’t have to make a new point. In fact, it’s probably better if we don’t try. Better if we just listen and consider. Maybe think over situations past and present and, instead of looking for an explanation where there wasn’t sexism, considering how there might have been. Or how past experience could have led someone to believe there was. And what part, even tacitly, we may have played in any of it.

I attended The 3% Conference in 2016. I went in thinking I’d hear what an a-hole I was for a couple days. Instead, I was referred to as a “Manbassador” (which, to a writer’s sensibilities, is barely better) and came away convinced not noticing inequalities is a crappy alibi.

Advertising is a liberal business. It’s not hard for most of us to agree women should be treated equally, or that we’re stronger with diverse viewpoints. “Duh”, we say. But see, “Duh” is just not enough. It’s not enough just to agree. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard—one that involves doing, or maybe just doing more. Be conscious about it. Watch for inequities. Be a mentor for women, or help someone find one.

Hear women, make sure they’re heard, ask why they aren’t being promoted. The 3% Conference has a smart list of micro-actions to aspire to.

It’s hard not to feel accused. It’s hard not to explain your personal innocence. It’s hard to talk about it without feeling the need to establish “not me.” But this doesn’t have to be about us, and we don’t have to make it about us to act as champions for equality, rather than innocent bystanders. We can’t just wait this conversation out.

Listen. Consider. Then do.

We may not be the accused, but if we stand idle we are par t of the problem.

Jon Dietrich Group Creative Director POSSIBLE Seattle

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The Future of Business Depends on These Four Traits

Women and men need to put these skills into practice. Here’s how:

EMBRACE EMPATHY Empathy is simply putting yourself in another person’s shoes to better relate to their circumstances, perspective, or challenges. Showing colleagues, direct reports, and clients that you understand their position and care about their future pays infinite returns. We’re usually pretty good at doing this with teammates—letting them vent about some injustice or misunderstanding and offering advice or encouragement—but not always with the people we manage or the people buying our services. The next time an

Until recently I attributed much of my success to my mother.

employee misses a deadline or phones it in, understanding why it happened will give you clues about what’s going on with that person and how to guide them in a positive

She is a taboo-smashing go-getter who rose out of blue-collar South Jersey to become

direction.

a doctor in a big-city ER. She was a career woman ahead of her time who dealt with gunshot wounds, stabbings, and gang fight casualties in the toughest neighborhood in

SHOW AND TELL

Philadelphia , but still had to fight her own battles to be taken seriously and paid fairly.

It’s a no-brainer that being open with people builds trust and helps equip and motivate My mother told me that I could do anything I set my mind to, and that ambition and

them to do quality work. But transparency takes many forms. Being clear about company

fearlessness will take you far.

goals and challenges allows employees to think innovatively about how they figure into those goals. Sharing your priorities and leading by example gives others permission to

It has.

spend time on the things that matter to them. I have a colleague who used to omit the fact that she had kids so her employer wouldn’t think her loyalty was divided. Today,

Thirteen years ago, I quit my job to restore balance to my life. Two years later, I co-

she doesn’t hesitate to bring her kids to the office and is up front about leaving early to

founded a creative agency. Today, we employ 130 incredibly talented people and work for

catch a game or performance. Her behavior sets the tone for the larger team she leads

some of the best known brands in the world. I chalked a good deal of this success up to

and gives everyone confidence that they don’t need to hide important facets of their

my competitive streak and tendency to speak my mind. They are strengths I picked up

lives.

STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN and motivating employees is that a whole set of other traits—empathy, openness,

So much lip service is paid to collaboration. And that’s just the problem. Collaboration

driven, and passionate. And recognize that

collaboration—were just as critical to my success.

has a proactive connotation: jump on in, share your ideas, talk. But sometimes the best

the playing field isn’t level. In fact, it only

way to surface original solutions and perspectives is to sit back and listen. Especially for

becomes more tilted as women ascend the

The so-called soft skills. They are traits commonly associated with women although both

leaders. Your job as a leader is to create an environment where people want to share and

ladder.

men and women have them in spades. The problem is these qualities have been devalued

support one another, not try to come up with the next face-melting idea on their own. Set

in the work world in favor of being assertive, decisive, and taking risks. But times have

the tone by letting the team know why a given project is important and what the goals

I have much to thank my gritty role-model

changed. Today it is critical to bring forth both the hard-nosed and bighearted and

are. Then let others do the talking.

mother for and have benefitted from being fearless and ambitious. But I’m lucky to

expand our definition of leadership.

WORDS MAT TER

Swift, a POSSIBLE Agency, Portland

be part of a generation that brings more balance to the equation.

In our hyper-connected world, the economy is powered by collaboration and innovation,

CEO

as opinionated, pushy, or emotional, pause and recast the feedback as forthright,

What I discovered over the course of building the business, nurturing relationships

Liz Valentine

Banish adjectives like shrill, abrasive, and strident. Instead of critiquing an employee

from my mom, and ironically, considered masculine qualities.

not only size and strength. Adaptability, communication and conflict resolution are no

“Women are caught in a Catch-22 situation regarding leadership. If they are strong they

longer nice-to-have skills that might garner you a few bonus points come performance

are seen to be aggressive, and if they work more in a consultative way they are seen to be

If my own daughter and son learn to see all

review time. They’re essential to sparking cooperation in team settings, relating to an

weak,” says a senior manager, who happens to be a woman, who participated in a 2007

of these traits as part of their leadership

increasingly diverse workforce and getting the information you need to do your job.

Catalyst study about leadership stereotypes. This enduring double standard is based on

tool kit, I’ll know we’re making progress.

our perception of men as typical leaders—the norm against which we evaluate women.

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Why Workplace Diversity Matters

Part of bringing people into our community is letting them know they are wanted. They are. Deeply. But attracting and recruiting a more diverse workforce is only part of the In 2015, my career brought me back to the Midwest to live and work. To be honest, I was apprehensive about coming back to the region where I felt as though I couldn’t be myself.

The good news is we seem to have changed. We both seem less judgmental.

Every single instance in which I thought I would face prejudice, the wonderful people of this city have surprised me. I have felt overwhelmingly welcomed and appreciated. Clearly, the work of many of this city’s business leaders to encourage tolerance and acceptance is paying off.

Of course, there will be those of you who haven’t shared in the warmth that I have received, and there is still much

equation.

Another part is making sure that once they are in the door, they are valued and treated well. Mentoring programs, advisory boards, and flexible benefits that accommodate unique family situations are just a few initiatives that can be implemented to make a workplace more inclusive, welcoming, and productive.

As an industr y and a communit y, we need to continue to make sure we reach and retain diverse candidates—or, as we at POSSIBLE like to call them, our future leaders.

more to do. I work in a creative industry and despite our openness at POSSIBLE, even we have a gap of diversity in our

Cincinna ti office.

The advertising industry as a whole has a stunning lack of diversity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , of I’ve returned to the Midwest after running away more than 20 years ago. I was born and raised in Terre Haute , Indiana , and graduated from Indiana University in 1991.

Leaving my home wasn’t a tough decision, considering my life here during that time wasn’t easy.

I grew up gay in a time when the HIV epidemic led to the vilification of all LGBTQ people—especially in my Midwestern neighborhood. So, I headed off to Los

Angeles and eventually New York City in search of a community in which I felt I could belong.

My experiences along the way have caused me to develop a great deal of empathy for those who felt like the underdogs. In turn, my closest friends and colleagues

13

Christopher Reintz

are those people who now fit into a bucket

EVP, Account Management POSSIBLE Cincinnati

corporate society calls examples of

the 582,000 Americans employed in advertising and communications in 2014, fewer than half were women, only 6.6 percent were Black or African American, 5.7 percent were Asian, and 10.5 percent were Hispanic. (I wasn’t able to obtain statistics on the LGBTQ population.)

These already low stats become even more glaringly obvious when you look at senior leadership. We urgently need to change.

Sure, it’s the right thing to do from a human perspective, but it’s also the right thing to do for the work we create and ultimately our clients’ businesses.

Creativity needs diversity in order to be relevant and cutting edge. Without this, our ability to do our jobs awesomely will be compromised.

“diversity.”

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Is AI the Solution to Adland’s Diversity Problem?

But, is it working? Not only has minority representation not improved much in Silicon Valley, but also recent studies show unconscious bias training can have the opposite of its intended effect. In a poorly implemented program, people actually become more accepting of bias; excusing prejudice because they think they can’t help it, or worse— because everybody else is doing it.

The truth is that our gut reactions and biases have evolved over millions of years. We’re incredibly efficient at processing lots and lots of information, but it often leads us to think too quickly about what requires a lot more time and attention.

Put another way, our greatest asset can also be our greatest liability: we’re human.

Luckily, there are tools being created that aren’t.

Artificial intelligence has shown itself to be a relatively effective aid in combating bias throughout the recruiting and interview process.

Here are two companies that I find particularly interesting:

GapJumpers [gapjumpers.me] serves as an initial blind audition—making the hiring process more about objective skill, than race, sex, or pedigree. The company already has the attention of the ad industry and is showing it can produce results.

Textio [textio.com] is a site that scans job description text to help recruiters see (and adjust) biased language and therefore skew their overall applicant pool. Bonus points for eliminating buzz words, which we could all do with a few less of in our industry.

Years ago, I never would have questioned whether my job would be relevant in the

In this business, technology changes all the time, and if change doesn’t excite or inspire

future. After all, people are best qualified to hire people. Lead people. Support

There’s a growing body of evidence that

people…right?

demonstrates the hiring process can be heavily influenced by unconscious bias,

But as advances in technology disrupt

even among experienced recruiters and

industry after industry, employees in every

hiring managers. The term “unconscious

sector are forced to become more and

bias” became a hot topic in the tech

more introspective and future focused.

and ad industries over the last several

“Future-proofing” no longer applies to

years. The theory is that every person

just systems or buildings, but individual

harbors prejudices that affect how we

careers as well.

make decisions, big and small, on a daily basis. That same evidence purports

artificial intelligence. In some ways I think there are parallels to be drawn between that and the backlash against pro-diversity movements, even though both have been shown to improve your bottom line. Inevitably, there will be those who feel change as a threat.

But not everyone. Cindy Gallop , in her August 2016 interview with Ad Age said: “I’m not doing this because I’m a woman, OK? I’m doing this because it is the right thing to do. I am doing this because I quite literally want to weep when I see the enormous possibilities inherent in the massively untapped pool of talent and creativity of women and people of color that our industry is spectacularly failing to leverage.”

So, how might the role of talent

that unconscious bias is one of the

management change in the coming years?

main culprits keeping places like

And how do we remain a valued and

Facebook predominantly male and white.

something even more brilliant and inclusive. Artificial intelligence has huge potential

The term itself was first made popular by

through the door, then we can focus even more on developing our emotional intelligence.

and

necessary part of our organizations?

15

you, then you won’t make it very long. I’ve noticed a lot of fear and negativity around

More than ever before, we have the tools and knowledge to transform our industry into to disrupt recruiting as we know it. If we can trust it to get a more diverse talent pool The result is stronger relationships, more time to develop junior talent and empathize

Maybe the first step is to concede what we

these companies that—coming under fire

already don’t do well and what technology

for dismal diversity statistics—made their

might help solve. Because across the

trainings on unconscious bias available

Martha Hiefield

board, there’s one thing that recruiters in

to the general public. Their goal was

Not to mention helping others think more creatively about what a career path looks

CEO, Americas POSSIBLE Seattle

our industry (and beyond) seem to have

to promote greater diversity by raising

like in the 21st century.

failed at systematically: Diversity.

awareness in everybody.

with management, and to foster a culture that is thoughtful and bold.

Because I guarantee you one thing—it ’s going to look dif ferent.

16

The UX of Implicit Gender Bias

There’s an online quiz that’s become quite

On the flip side, how can I help my female

popular in the world of implicit bias study.

coworkers avoid what I’ve personally

It’s a basic program, asking you to sort

experienced as well, that dreadful case

words under two columns as they appear

of imposter syndrome that seems to

on a plain, black screen. The game starts

afflict even the most ambitious and high-

innocuously enough; I’m presented with

achieving women?

two columns, titled Male and Female. A name pops up on the screen, and I sort the

I reached out to Kelsey Pytlik , an

name with a click of the “E” or “I” key. It’s

advertising alum and women’s leadership

easy; I’m encouraged and eager to answer

trainer, who now runs Gild Collectiv e

quickly.

as CEO, to talk about the truth of implicit gender bias. A former UX

Then the real test kicks in. Two words

designer, Kelsey applies principles of

appear in the left column, and two words

user experience design to help people

show up in the right. Male and Career.

identify and understand the genesis of

Female and Home. Kate. Mike. Executive.

gender bias, which is often both subtle

Wedding. Professional. Cousin. Still

and still pervasive in today’s office

doable.

environments. As creator and facilitator

Until the order switches. And my

team specialize in confidence building

processing time slows down greatly.

and career development, while preparing

of workshops for women, Kelsey and her

future leaders to identify, respond to, and As a woman, I’m dismayed to admit that

resist instances of implicit bias in their

it’s much easier to keep things in check

organizations.

and move faster when the female and family categories are on the same side.

And as a female professional who’s no stranger to the effects of implicit gender bias in my own career, I should have aced this quiz, right?

Thinking back to my early years in the industry, I wondered about how my experiences may have accidentally created biases I carry with me today. And I thought to my young daughter, who hopefully will never be told in reviews she’s too opinionated or too confident in her ideas (“feedback” that I’ve heard multiple times).

Did it take me longer to internalize the lessons I should have learned? When women in our industry moved on from Seducing the Boys Club (check it out, the book is real) t o Feminist Fight Club, had my mind neglected to catch up?

Jaime Klein Daley EVP, Strategy and Insights POSSIBLE New York

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18

JKD: First things first, I imagine the

JKD: I can imagine. I’m sure there was the

JKD: That’s fascinating. We rarely talk

Similarly, if you grow up with experiences

While you may not be able to change

notion of gender bias was something

“husband” one?

about the fact that the way you present

in which every CEO is a man, you shouldn’t

another person’s user flow, you can call

yourself influences how others interact

be surprised by the hiccup in your brain,

it out and redefine where the wireframes

with you.

making it harder to piece things together.

don’t match.

supporting you at home. Or asking about

KP: And vice-versa. It’s a two-way

The wireframe of gender bias impacts how

Your live state is under your control. And

KP: Absolutely. Like most of us, I

whether we’re going to start a family soon

street, the way someone “logs onto you”

you process your experiences.

it’s up to you to call for a redesign.

encountered gender bias in my career

when we were talking about growing the

is unique every time, because that user is

before I could put a name to it. But without

business.

you experienced firsthand? It seems like everyone I’ve spoken with has their own

KP: Yes. The assumption that you’re able

story…

to start this because you have someone

coming with a different perspective. And it

FLAT DESIGN

knowing what it was, it was hard to know

impacts your confidence, and what you put

Flat design is the way that you intend to

how to respond.

out into the world.

present yourself, putting yourself out there

JKD: How do you really know if you’re

for others to interact with you. Here’s the

experiencing implicit bias?

JKD: What happened next?

I talk about implicit bias having four

catch. In the world of UX, you sometimes

components: user flow, wireframe, flat

find that your flat designs don’t match your

KP: Do you find yourself thinking about

design, and what we call the “live state.”

wireframe. In other words, your conscious

the things you say or do being taken

thought and your unconscious bias don’t

seriously? Do you need to prove yourself

USER FLOW

always line up. You may say to yourself, “I

in a way that takes away from your

From a UX perspective, the user flow

spend every day thinking women are just

ability? If so, you’re probably experi-

curriculum, I was thinking about how we

shows how a user navigates through an

as competent as men,” but that doesn’t

encing some sort of bias in your work.

I would doubt myself. Was I not being

could make something like unconscious

experience and the pathways to follow; it

mean your mind doesn’t experience those

listened to for my own opinions because

bias more accessible. It’s scary to admit

also shows the different places or sources

momentary hiccups in the wireframe.

I was young? Because I was new to the

that you carry biases with you wherever

a user is coming from (a news article,

company I worked at? I realized that I

you go—and to say that women have it

social media, for instance). Basically, users

Flat design illustrates your best intention

probably wasn’t the only one feeling this

too. It’s hard to wrap your head around it.

are coming to you from different places,

for how you want to be perceived and

way, and I pivoted my efforts to career

I started thinking of different elements

and their history will impact what they’re

understood.

development, helping other young women

of UX and drew parallels to different

looking for, expecting to see, and the

find their voices and establish their

elements of gender bias. And ultimately,

way they achieve their task. Think of how

LIVE STATE

thing to remember is that it’s not a

authentic talents.

how they all ladder up to the finished

people’s upbringing, past experiences, or

I talked about confidence earlier, and

confrontation because people often don’t

product.

societal inputs influence their worldview;

here’s where it comes into play. There’s

know they’re doing anything wrong. The

all that impacts how they meet you.

always a chance that things won’t line up

best thing you can do is call it out and

perfectly when you go live and present

help someone recognize it. Then you’re

yourself to others.

not just defending yourself; you’re doing

As a UX designer, my confidence at work had always come from knowing the user and standing up for user needs. I realized

KP: We grew the business! I had been so

that if I didn’t have the user to fall back

immersed in user design and now, after

on, my own opinions would have fallen into

starting Gild , I’m immersed in confidence

the background.

building and leadership. In building the

The true realization happened when we started Gild Collectiv e and went through an accelerator program to grow our

User flow illustrates that people often

business. Out of 1000 companies applying,

come from a complete set of beliefs and

10 were chosen for funding, and we were

understanding when they meet you.

JKD: What advice would you give someone who is experiencing what you’ve described?

KP: Well, different people have different styles of communicating. The important

a service, helping educate others while We often find there’s a gap between the

improving your company culture overall.

way we want to be seen and the way others

the only all-women team.

JKD: Any parting advice?

WIREFRAME

perceive us; either a lack of confidence

We encountered so many well-meaning

I describe the wireframe as a blueprint for

(not competence) holds us back, or our

people who didn’t realize they were

the digital experience, identifying where

audience comes from a different set of

KP: Learn from the past, but don’t dwell

treating us differently. And I found myself

things should go and how they should

experiences (and user flows).

on it. To me, this is all about people

asking the question, “Would they have

function. That’s the construct of your

asked men this question?”

unconscious bias. It creates shortcuts in

Our live product ties both sides of the

your brain to help you process information

equation together. Imagine how our

more quickly, so you can function.

presentation style changes when we’re

starting to move towards an equal future,

not feeling confident. Our voices get For example, our experience of seeing the

softer, we speak in filler, and we pass up

sky has created an expectation that the

opportunities for advancement. While

sky is blue every time we look up. But if

our flat design may be ready to go, our

the sky were to change to neon green, it

confidence doesn’t seem to match.

would take us longer to process that it is

Fortunately, this is one area we can

the same thing we understand as “sky”.

control.

between and among men and women.

Ultimately, we believe that having a sense of communit y and building each other up is one of the most valuable resources we have.

[Continued from page 18]

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20

Shut Up and Hire Her Joe Crump Managing Director POSSIBLE New York

How I Learned Gay Empathy Matt Winkler Account Director POSSIBLE Seattle

Somewhere in the world a room full of advertising agency professionals is brainstorming

I’ve been in advertising for 17 years, and

about ice cream or air freshener or headache remedy. And if the data is correct, there’s

that’s the first time a woman had ever just

an 89% chance that everyone in the room—or at least those making the decisions—is

flat out said it: The emperor is buck naked.

male.

It hurt. And then the epiphany smacked me in the face: In a business driven by white

The enlightened among us know that this is both ridiculous and pathetic. It’s intellec-

men talking to white men about white men,

tually and creatively wrong, as well as culturally deaf and maybe ethically bankrupt.

as Cindy Gallop says, meaningful diversity

And yet, it’s perfectly normal. Over the course of almost two decades in advertising,

will happen when—and only when—smart

I’ve driven brand strategies for breakfast cereal, cell phones, cookies, quick-service

clients demand it.

restaurants, sneakers, luxury clothing brands—and on and on—all targeted at women.

There is reason to be encouraged. HP ’s

As agency leaders we contend with this bald-faced fakery in a handful of ways. We craft

CMO Antonio Luci o has driven real

elaborate gender-aware research plans for our clients’ brands. We deploy qualitative

and rapid diversity within the agencies

and quantitative insights to prove we can “get inside her head.” We self-consciously cast

that serve his brand, and other huge

in unconscious bias. And we hitch our creative wagons to woman-focused causes and

advertisers like Verizon and General Mills have followed suit. I sincerely hope

pro-bono campaigns to win awards and wrap our agencies in warm, femvertising fuzzies.

those blips become a landslide. And I feel

pitches and key client meetings with strategically placed women. We dial up HR training

extremely fortunate that in July I joined Are these confessions hitting too close to home?

an agency where our CEO is a woman.

Our CFO is a woman. And our CCO is a

To me, agency life has for years felt like a real-life version of The Truman Show, where

woman. Thirty-eight percent of our creative

our clients are Truman , and we’re the ersatz residents of Seahaven , all of us carefully

leadership (ACD and higher) is female.

staging an intricate fiction that we came to believe ourselves. The gender balance of our

My own office in New York City is now

focus groups somehow compensated for the utter absence of it in our offices.

60% female. And we’ve supported and partnered with The 3% Conference from its

Thanks to Kevin Roberts and Cindy Gallup , most agencies today are on high alert, if not

early days. We didn’t jump on the diversity

truly woke, to the pathetic state of affairs in the male/female ratio of agency leadership.

bandwagon—we helped build it.

I built an emotional wall, but I knocked it down. A wall, you ask?

Some people in society find out that you are different as a child because of the way you are—because of the way you were born. You are ridiculed because of the way you act, the way you are physically, because of your gender identity or your sex. You tend to find ways to protect yourself from pain received by others as you would with any bully.

Instead of learning how to let others in, you learn how to shut them out. Now, this isn’t an absolute, but this human experience exists, and we need to acknowledge it. We need to confront it in order to move forward, together.

Dan Savage and the It Gets Better Project [itgetsbetter.org] inspired a movement that aimed to start this conversation. To break down these walls earlier on in life for the

LGBTQIA community. The movement expresses, at an emotional level, that you are not alone. We are together.

How can we help each other begin to deconstruct our emotional walls?

BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENCES We are all unique. We have different perspectives and upbringings. If they are comfortable, start by asking someone what their life experiences have been. You may be surprised that you have a shared human experience.

LISTEN, DON’ T TALK We tend to talk over each other in this industry. Try listening more rather than talking.

You’ll be surprised about how much you learn about someone, their experiences, and how you can learn to work together toward a shared goal.

Because they are savvy—they’re marketers, after all—they’re making the right noises, and taking steps in the right direction. Teeny, tiny baby steps. The industry has moved

As for me, I’m no dummy. I won’t have

from a total of 3% female creative leadership to 11%. Nothing to sneeze at. And yet, as 9

another traumatic chem-check like that

out of 10 account planners will tell you: 80% of buying decisions in the US are driven by

again. Ever. So I’ll be the guy who’s hiring

women. So, I kindly wonder: Are you freaking kidding me with that 11%?

that woman ECD. And her girlfriend. And that lady CD. And that female head of

As a managing director and a gay guy in a passive-aggressively heteronormative

Marketing Science. And on and on until

business, I know a little bit about being on the wrong side of the industry demographic

The Truman Show gets cancelled. In

curve. But if I was going to place a bet—and I hope I’m not outing anyone here—I’d wager

case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good

that there are substantially more gay men in senior agency roles than there are women in

evening, and good night.

CONNECT, AGAIN AND AGAIN It doesn’t end with one conversation. Begin to formulate a connection point frequently that begins to peel back the emotional onion, which allows them to open up even more. It is amazing to see how relationships evolve over time.

When we begin to deconstruct our walls, we begin to understand each other. To become better allies for each other in our shared efforts. At POSSIBLE, I’ve learned that we are a diverse community of workers and we embrace our differences and lean on each other when we need emotional support. This is why I work here.

the same roles.

We still have work to do. We need even more LGBTQIA leaders to stand up and begin

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But change is coming at last. Just a few weeks ago I was in a chemistry-check meeting

discussions that many of our straight allies don’t even know how to start. Not because

with a potential client. After 30 minutes or so the client, let’s call her Michelle, looked at

they don’t want to, but because they need our support to make that first step. We have

me and my two colleagues—all of us males—and observed pointedly, “But our customer is

an obligation to start those conversations in our shared efforts to make our industry and

female, and you’re all guys.” Chem-check fail.

workplaces even more diverse.

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I Work with Game of Thrones Warrior Queens

When I first met the two female founders of the agency Swift 10 years ago, I sensed a strength I had never experienced at male-led startups. There was this dynamic energy— girl-boss swagger that was both confident and humble. A desire to be the best, but not at the cost of integrity or compassion for fellow colleagues.

Here are four ways to hold off the White Walkers and Lannisters alike—and come

3. See the realm from 30,000 feet.

was treated like a member of the family.

The leaders continually put their trust

out stronger.

the world from a flyover high above, is

The day I committed to the company, I

The title sequence of GoT, where we view a reminder to zoom out and study the

in my talent, elevating my skills, pushing 1. Fight fiercely for your people—and

big picture of marketing and advertising

me better. And we won a lot of business

they’ll fight for you.

in order to zoom in on threats and

together. As the company grew, the same

Daenerys Targarye n, “The Mother of

opportunities. Do you know where you sit

loyalty was extended from the top to more

Dragons,” rules with an iron fist, but all

in Westeros ? Such perspective is essential

than 100 employees, creating unstoppable

in defense of her people. Without the

to crafting and updating a game plan for

momentum powered by a magical combi-

support of the Dothraki and Unsullied

your future.

nation of innovation and people-first culture.

armies (not to mention two huge dragons),

my creative thinking and generally making

she wouldn’t be the force that she is. To

Leaders brace for industry churn by taking

During our agency’s rise, Game of Thrones

create this powerful alliance, she earned

the time to identify agency-defining

became a cultural phenomenon, and I

the trust of these fringe cultures.

services and continually look for the white space to make change. For example,

ended up bingeing two seasons on a sick day (a surefire way to take your mind off

For our company that means saying

diversifying our capabilities keeps us

your own aches and pains). The struggles

no to unreasonable clients, fighting

strong and agile. We’ve invested heavily

and triumphs of characters like Daenerys

for inspiring work, involving people in

in Strategy and Data Science to help craft

Targaryen , Arya Stark , and the ever-loyal knight Brienne of Tarth were captivating.

decision-making—or which accounts

powerful campaigns that hit emotional

to go after—and respect for work-life

highs and business goals.

balance. Protecting and trusting your team When I returned to work the next Monday,

empowers your most valuable resource to

4. Power to the alpha female.

I was sitting across from our CEO (no

work smarter and contribute in ways that

An alpha female is not the same as the

makeup, hair tied in a wild knot) and it

aren’t always anticipated.

alpha male. The Game of Thrones rulers inspire by playing against type. They

struck me—she was so similar to many

Rick Albano Executive Creative Director Swift, a POSSIBLE Agency, Portland

of the power femmes on the show:

2. Keep your “House” in order.

are not mere ice queens who shut down

decisive and fearless, yet empathetic and

Not every creative shop appreciates

emotion and chase the cliché of dictatorial

thoughtful. A balance of qualities typically

process. You’ve heard the complaints

male power (except Cersei ). They are

classified as masculine and feminine, a

about constraining big thinking or

strong and compassionate. Calm under

combination critical to the company’s

hampering one’s unique approach to

pressure, cool as Khaleesi . There are

growth and success.

research and ideation. The truth is most

numerous scenes where women leaders

humans require a deadline to get the work

stand over chess-like battle plans, always

In advertising, winter is coming. It’s

done and like to know who’s responsible

listening to their advisors’ strategic

always coming.

for what.

recommendations.

Whether it’s the threat of clients

Working at an agency founded by women

taking creative in-house, consultancies

gives me mad respect for efficiency. It’s

and media agencies adding creative

not the stuff of humblebrags but it’s a key

capabilities, brand teams working directly

arrow in your quiver. For House Swift ,

with tech platforms, or ever-shrinking

we regularly assess how departments

budgets and timelines, there’s always an

are organized—from names to reporting

outside force (or ten) advancing toward the

structure to where people sit. In the 18

gates of the kingdom. The landscape can

months since we moved into a new space,

often feel like a battlefield. Who are your

we’ve switched desk assignments three

dragons? How do you win the hearts of

times, and are better for it. Whether you’re

your teams?

more House Stark or House Tyrell , take stock and see if there’s room to work smarter.

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I see this at work, where we have a rock-solid foundation of respect for one another ’s opinions and unique skills. It ’s an environment that encourages and rewards diversity of thought and experience, where t wo women have expanded the definition of leadership and possibilit y.

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POSSIBLE is a WPP Digital agency. pov@possible.com possible.com